Love the Hard Way
by ShikaIno1
Summary: Ino and Shikamaru were deeply inlove. They got married, had a child and then got a divorce. Wait... What? ShikaIno/ KibaIno/ ShikaTema Trust me, you will not expect what I got in this story and how I really made it come alive.
1. Prologue

Love the Hard Way

Prologue

**Okay, so this is just a prologue to the beginining of the story. I added a lot of details and really worked hard to make it all seem very life like. I hope you all enjoy! :)**

**XOXOX**

At first it was just soft and sweet kisses on the cheek and sometimes on the lips. That was when we were younger… say twelve? Thirteen? We each had crushes on each other since we were twelve that I know for sure. When we both grew older, like sixteen, we really started to fall in love, but actually it started when he turned sixteen and I was still fifteen. That was also our first make out session. A nice birthday present for him. He wanted to repay me for my present to him the next day… my birthday. An even greater present…. Yup, you guessed it! Sex, but what we actually did was make love for the first time for both of us. Yes, make love when we were starting to fall in love. Kind of seems ironic. And now I sound like Hannah Baker from one of my favorite books, _Thirteen Reasons Why_. She spoke into a video tape in the whole book and I just seem like her a little bit right now. Weird. Well, anyways we did make love and let me just say it was awesome and that was the best birthday present I ever received, hands down. And that was just the first time. It all seemed so prefect… that is until our sensei died. Then it all went to crap. We kind of split up shortly after that. I tried to visit him a lot, but he always seemed to be so distant after Asuma died. I'd go to his house, but his parents would always say that he was out on missions or just wasn't home. Shikamaru did start taking on a lot of missions; long and dangerous missions. But he was never once home when I went over and that's what really bugged me. I mean he couldn't ever not be home, right? Right. And I know his parents wouldn't lie to me, plus they knew I loved him and he most defiantly loved me. I was able to find him once on a total accident, though. And I wish I didn't ever see it. Because what I saw was the worst thing imaginable –besides Asuma dying of course- he was, making out with Temari and not just kissing either, they were ALL over each other. I could predict the lust in each other's eyes since they were closed and all. I felt my heart being ripped into two pieces. I felt my head go dizzy and I wanted to throw up and get as far away as possible to weep in my lonely sorrow, but for some reason, I didn't leave or even look away from the horrid sight before me. It was so horrible. I didn't even know what to really do, but I didn't need to because Shikamaru turned to me. He must have sense someone looking at him for so long. I, at least, expected him to be either shocked or guilty or even sad, but no. not even… well anything. His eyes were glazed over and his face was entirely blank; absolutely nothing. I think I was going to scream, but it caught in my throat and I just couldn't scream. The next thing that happened was confusing. One moment I was starring at Shikamaru and Temari, who was glaring death at me, and then… well I don't know. My head started spinning and everything went black and blacker and then nothing. I remember waking up in the hospital with a terrible headache and my eyesight was all blurry. I could just picture how I looked with puffy red eyes, red nose, puffy cheeks, make up all runny and my hair all messed up and frizzled out. Yup, like HELL. I slowly looked around and saw no one was around me in the room. But I started to hear voices outside the cracked door. Two people for sure.

"Is she alright? She doesn't have a concussion, does she?"

Oh god, that's Shikamaru!

"She's fine. No concussion, but she'll most likely have a headache for a while." Sakura's voice.

Well of course it's Sakura. She's pretty much a doctor, wait no she is a doctor now. We're all seventeen now and not too long after we turned seventeen, Sakura became a full medic ninja. It's only been a month now and Sakura orders all the other medics around like she owns them and the hospital. Sakura thought she would own the hospital one day, when Tsunade died that s. I heard Shikamaru take a long deep sigh.

"Thank you, Godaime," I just barely heard him say.

"Don't be so worried, Shikamaru. She just fell on the ground, it's not like she went up again the Akatsuki or Orachimaru that that matter. Just relax, she's alright, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he grunted out.

"Do you want to see her now?"

There was no answer. I didn't know if Sakura knew what had happened, but I seriously doubt it. From the lack of conversation on his side, I'm sure she knew something was wrong, but I knew Shikamaru wouldn't tell Sakura what had happened.

"Shikamaru? Don't you want to see your girlfriend?" I could hear the tint of anger and suspiciousness in her voice. I told her what happened about Shikamaru avoiding me, so I was very glad to hear Sakura trying to get him to actually visit me.

"Is she still unconscious?"

"She should be."

"Fine." I could hear the hesitation in his voice.

I quickly laid back and closed my eyes, all the while shaking. I realized that and steadied my breathing. I never let myself act like this on missions, well besides Asuma's death that is, but other than that, no.

Next I listened. I heard them enter the room and scuffling beside my bed. Shikamaru; I know because he always slouched when walking, making noise. I'd yell at him all the time for that, but never once did he care to change his horrid habit. The noise stopped and I could feel eyes on me. Then I heard walking a little ways from me and a door closed. I then heard Shikamaru sit down on what must have been a chair.

He sighed.

"I know you're awake, Ino," he said. I froze. Shit, he knows me way too well. More than I would like sometimes…. "Ino."

I cracked my eyes open. He was staring at me with his chocolate, swirly brown eyes. I was right about him sitting in a chair, though. And with Sakura leaving. I didn't say anything, nor did he, but just looked at each other. There was so much power in his gaze that I almost had to look away, but there was also some link that seemed to pull us together. Always. I know he loved me, but yet why did he cheat on me with Temari?

"I'm sorry," he blurted out. "For everything."

I played stupid. "Sorry? About what?"

He looked at me and sighed irritably. He suddenly stood up and started pacing the length of my bed. He avoided looking my way as I sat up in the bed. Then he turned to me when I made a small whimper because I accidently hit my head against the headboard. I saw a flash of worry cross his eyes. He then looked back at the floor contently.

"You drive me crazy. You know that, Ino? Y-You never give me a straight, forward answer. You always avoid any question that ANYONE asks you. You just love playing with peoples' minds, don't you?"

Ouch. I was a bit taken aback by his chose of words. I swallowed, but before I could say anything, Shikamaru snorted and continued.

"I can't believe you, Ino. You just always have to play with peoples' heads. And you choose me to be your main target, right?" he sighed again, but it seemed to relax him because he stopped pacing and looked straight through my soul; figuratively speaking anyways. "You just had to get me to fall in love with you."

He didn't say it as a question, but I answered nonetheless.

"I-I didn't make u fall in love with me, just like I didn't make you put your tongue down Temari's throat."

Shikamaru flinched. I smiled. Score one for me and zero for him.

"I was drunk," he half whispered.

"Yeah, so that makes it okay, Shikamaru?" I slithered out and cut him off before he could speak this time. "Drink as much alcohol as you want. It's okay, because I'm sure you didn't mean it and you were totally drunk. It's okay." Sarcasm laced my words.

"Ino…." He sighed for the umpteenth time. "You know I didn't mean it…. I-It was a huge mistake and I barely knew what was going on."

I couldn't help but believe him only because I could see, even feel the pain in his eyes. I know he didn't mean what he did, but I didn't want to forgive him so easily. But I couldn't help it….

"Ino, please forgive me," he pleaded.

"Of course I forgive you, Shika…"

"But..?" he looked skeptical.

"…I-I don't think we should be together anymore," I choked out.

Shikamaru blinked, swallowed and then fell to his knees. He grabbed my hands in his. Bending over and kissed my hands, each finger receiving a small, delicate kiss. "You can't be serious, Ino… I was drunk." He stared into my eyes, pleading for me to just understand. I screamed at myself to just throw myself into his warm arms, but I couldn't and I wouldn't.

"Shikamaru," I barely whispered, then sternly said, "no." he looked at me with disbelief and grief in his eyes. "I forgive you, but I refuse to be with you any longer."

He looked into my eyes and seemed to look through mm soul. Something we're both good at it seemed. He backed away a bit, leaned on his back heels and stood up. He continued to look at me the whole time and never let his eyes leave mine, whatsoever. He nodded and turned his back on me. He didn't leave immediately; he simply stood there with white tipped fists.

"I love," cam one of the last loving things he said to me. "I really, really love you, Ino."

I starred at his back, teary eyed. I wanted to throw myself on him. Tell him I still loved him and always would. But I didn't and after another minute, he merely left. Left my life almost completely. Almost.

You see the last time we made love,… well let's just say that we forgot the condom and I was never on the pill. So I got pregnant with his child.

The night I was still at the hospital, from when I fainted, Sakura ran some tests on me to make sure I was a hundred percent healthy. When I had told her about me throwing up lately, she grew very concerned. And that's when I found out the BIG news.

It just had to be right after ending my relationship with Shikamaru that I found out. The irony in it all! I remember crying myself to sleep every night for the next month.

The very next morning I was released from _Konaha Hospital_ and went to find Shikamaru. He had to know; he just had to. He had just as much of a right to know I'm pregnant with his child as I do.

But boy did I wish I didn't have to be the one to tell him. I just wished that he automatically new that I was pregnant and be done with it all. But no…. there's more than just that anyways. Because we also have to discuss about the preparations and how this would all work out in the end. Will our child live with me full time and just visit Shikamaru? Or will it be the other way around? Or maybe we each have the baby part time, but that would be wrong to put that all on a growing child. …Would Shikamaru even want to see his own child?

_Of course he would_, I reasoned with myself. Even if Shikamaru didn't exactly like responsibility, he would take it head on. He just wasn't one of those sleazebags that would leave me when I need him the most. He still loved me too! Like I do as well…. It would be so easy to get back together now, but I refused. I still need time to heal. A lot of time.

In the end I found Shikamaru, finally, and everything worked out alright. He was more than willing to help me out. He agreed to meet me every day, twice a day, even though I told him he didn't have to. But just like with Kurenai-sensei, he came twice a day and simply ignored me when I always told him that he should also live his own life and not always be in mine. When he had missions –I didn't anymore because Sakura told Lady Tsunade the news and she relieved me for a year and a half of ninja duties- he always made sure to spend the whole day with me before he left and was the first person to visit, after his missions, once he reported back to Lady Tsunade.

I was, and still am, very grateful of his help, but I still refused to be with him again. Even though my heart longed and ached to be in his loving embrace, I just couldn't. At least, that's what I thought at first, but things are definitely not what people think them to be.

**XOXOX**

**Not what you all expected, is it? Don't worry, I just wrote this like it is to get an idea of what happened before they got married/diversed and such. The next chapter takes place after they are diversed and have their own partners. So Temari and Kiba will appear next chapter, but I do not know when that will be put up here because I am still yet to write it. Reveiw Please! :) Until then...**

**~ShikaIno1**


	2. Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End

**Love the Hard Way**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto ;'(**

**I changed some of my ideas instead of what I said would happen last chapter. You'll understand if you read...**

**Chapter One: The Beginning of the End**

**XOXOX**

"Inori!"

Loud muffles filled the hallway as the little three year old ran into the kitchen and into the awaiting arms of his mommy thereafter she had called him.

"Mommy, I'm hungry!" he complained as he started at his mommy, who held onto him tightly.

"Well, that's why I made you breakfast and if you got up when you were suppose to then your food would be hot still." Ino said, letting her little one back down on the floor.

Inori walked over to his high chair and waited for his food to appear before him. Ino chuckled as she watched the little ninja-to-be stroll over to his high chair and waited for his food. He was the most beautiful thing she ever laid her eyes on. She remembered the day she brought him into the world, with Shikamaru right by her side, holding her hand in a tight grip. The most painful, but yet also one of the best days of her life she had experienced. After all, she had a beautiful child and that was the same day that Shikamaru and her officially got back together again. While holding onto her newborn, her and Shikamaru gazed into each others eyes and kissed. They both remembered that day so vividly. Between their love and the love they had for their beautiful baby, they were a very happy family; just as it should be.

Inori still looks the same from when he was born, with brown hair that was spiked into one of Shikamaru's style ponytails, except he had a tint of blonde at the ends, the brightest blue eyes, Ino's eyes, and a cross of his mother's and father's facial features. Shikamaru's sharp nose, Ino's high cheek bones and cute chin. He was definitely born to be quite a looker, that's for sure. But his attitude contrasted against his good looks. He was incredibly lazy, just like his lazy father, but when he wanted, he could be very hyper and loud just like his mother. And of course his father's intelligence.

"Here you go, sweety," Ino said as she placed a plate of two pancakes and sausage in front of him. He definitely had Choji's apatite, but she limited him on his food, even though he has a great metabolism.

"Thanks mommy," And with that said, he began to dig into his somewhat cold food, not even stopping to take a drink of his milk until he was already finished with his food. "More please."

Ino smiled. "No, I don't think so, Inori. You had enough for now."

A frown etched onto his features, just making him even more adorable in her eyes. "Fine. Where's dad?"

As if on cue, he slumped into the kitchen, sat at the table and laid his head down.

"Of course he's falling asleep on the table," she muttered to herself. Shikamaru mumbled something incoherent into his arms. "Excuse me?"

Shikamaru groaned and lifted his head to look at his beautiful wife. "I said that I only got a couple of hours of sleep because I got in late last night."

"From a mission?" Ino asked.

He eyed her strangely. "Yes, from a mission."

"That you can't tell me about," Ino pushed on.

"No."

"Whatever," she remarked at him and turned around to get her annoying husband his equally cold breakfast. She had long since made a rule that if they were not up by breakfast, then she wasn't reheating it. Something about them both being too lazy.

"I don't have time to eat, I need to go see Tsunade," he said as he stood up from the table and looked at his son with a smile. "So why don't you eat up my share, kid?"

The smile on his face was all he needed to ignore the glare on his wife's face.

"Thanks daddy!"

**XOXOX**

Even if Ino's and her marriage was pleasant per say, Ino was always suspicious of him. Ever since that incident a few years back with Temari, she always watched him closely when she heard that the sand girl was in her town. Much like now. Shikamaru had assured her that it was all political business and that was all she was here for. Part of Ino wanted to believe him, but part of her didn't. She _really_ wanted to believe him, but Ino was just too afraid to ever fully open up to Shikamaru again. Ino truly loved Shikamaru, but her feelings were more covered up than they were when the two were together as teenagers. She knew Shikamaru knew this as well, but he never commented on it.

So, as Ino walked to the market with Inori holding her hand, she didn't expect to see Shikamaru and Temari walking up to them.

"Shikamaru, what are you doing out here?" Ino asked as they stood in front of each other.

Shikamaru sighed. _"Oh fuck, she won't take this well," _he thought as he rubbed the back of his neck, a sign of being nervous and Ino knew that. "Ino, Tsunade wanted me to take-"

"Me out to dinner, so we were just heading to a restaurant to go eat," Temari finished for Shikamaru. She ignored his frantic eyes and continued to smile at Ino, who looked like she was about to pounce her.

"Only because we the Chunin exams are finally finished and she wanted us to go out to celebrate. That's all, Ino," Shikamaru explained quickly before Ino could muster a word in.

"Oh, really?" Ino asked in return, through gritted teeth.

"Mom, you're hurting my hand," Inori said up to his mother who quickly let go of his hand and looked down at him to make sure he was okay. She hadn't even realized she was squeezing his hand.

"Sorry, hunny," she apologized and looked back to Shikamaru and Temari's faces. Temari was smirking while Shikamaru looked down right scared.

"So, Ino, where are heading to?" Shikamaru wasn't sure if it was a good idea to ask her that, or let alone anything right now, but he waned to try to take the attention of of him and Inori.

"The market, to get some groceries," she replied in an annoyed tone. No doubt she knew what Shikamaru was trying to do.

"Can I go with dad, mom?" Ino looked at her little boy with a frown. "Please?" he continued to beg.

"That's probably a good idea. This way you won't have to worry about him while getting on, Inori."

"Yay!"

"B-," Ino cut herself off before she even finished. Inori obviously wanted to go with his father and this way she knew nothing would happen with Shikamaru and Temari, even if she didn't like the idea of them being anywhere near each other, let alone going to _dinner_ together! "Fine, I'll see you at home."

And with that, she walked past them, bumping into Temari's shoulder. She always thought this day might come, but left it in the back of her head for so long. She was finally loosing her grip on the only guy she ever truly loved.

**XOXOX**

Instead of going to the market, Ino decided to go speak with Tsunade about her sending her husband to dinner with another girl, especially a girl who tried taring them apart before.

On her way to the Hokage mansion, she ran into Kiba, who also was heading there to talk to Tsunade, so they decided to walk together. Kiba waited outside Tsunade's door while Ino was allowed in.

"What do you need, Ino," Tsunade asked while filling through paper work, not even looking her way.

"With all due respect, I would to like to know why you sent Shikamaru and Temari out to dinner." Well that got her attention finally. "I understand that it was because the Chunin exams are done, but just don't understand why you would send _them_ to dinner."

"Ino... I don't know what you're talking about. I never sent them out to dinner."

**XOXOX**

Ino stumbled out out the Hokage's office with her world spinning before her eyes. She was dizzy, so dizzy that she could barely see anything in front of her. She ended up falling into Kiba's arm, she knew by his worried voice when he asked her what was wrong, and began silently crying into his chest. Forgetting about his meeting with Tsunade, he quickly exited the building with Ino and walked her home.

Kiba had no idea what was even going on, but he wanted to be there for her, afraid of what would happen if he wasn't with her. When Ino's house was coming into view, he stopped walking, making Ino stop as well, and looked at her tearful face.

"Ino, wh-what's going on?" He had to know what was going through her pretty head of hers. He worried for her and truly loved her, even if he never told her, and wanted to be there for her no matter the case.

"S-S-Shika-Shi-"

"Take a deep breath, Ino," he encouraged.

Nodding, Ino took a deep, but shaky, breath and exhaled. "S-Shikamaru... he-he's...," she couldn't finish before she started crying even more.

This really worried Kiba now. Was Shikamaru injured? Missing? Even dead? He was his friend and he wanted to know if his lazy friend was okay or not. "Is Shikamaru okay?"

Ino shook her head. "No... he's c-cheating on me w-with Temari!"

**XOXOX**

She waited for him to come home with a tear stained face as she sat in a recliner, n her living room. She couldn't remembered how long she had been waiting for her husband since Kiba finally left, promising she would pull through, but it felt like an eternity. She almost didn't hear the door creak open, but looked up just in time to see Shikamaru and Inori walking in.

"Why are all the lights off?" she heard Shikamaru say.

In return Ino flipped the switch next to her and the living room light turned on, making both the boys look at her in shock.

"Better?" Ino's dull voice barely reached the two of them.

"Inori, why don't you go up to your room for a little while," Shikamaru suggested, looking at his wife. She looked so lifeless and it really worried him. Her usually bright blue eyes look more of a dull gray than anything else. And her face, it was caked with dried tears. There was no way this was because of him and Temari today, it had to be something else. "Ino, what's going on?"

"Why don't you tell me, Shikamaru?"

Shikamaru scrunched his eyebrows and walked up to his wife. "I don't know what your talking about. Just tell me what's going on."

Ino stood slowly, looking him in the eyes and took a deep breath. "I talked to Tsunade." Shikamaru tensed a bit but kept quiet. Fresh tears spilled down her face now. "I went t-to asked her why s-she would send you two together for d-dinner, but she didn't know what I was talking about." By this time Ino was in full out tears and crying hysterically.

"Ino-"

"No! Don't bother with your stupid ass excuses! I won't believe them," she screeched at the man who broke her heart more than any others had.

"Ino, you won't even let me explain," his voice was rising now. He could explain everything if she would just listen to him!

Ino shook her head violently. "I don't want to hear them, Shikamaru! Why can't you understand that?"

"Why can't you understand that I'm trying to tell you what really happened?" Shikamaru was now yelling back to Ino, frustrated that Ino only saw what she wanted to see and that's the end of it.

"Because you'll just lie to me again! I know what's really going on between you and that whore from Suna! You wanted to go out to a romantic dinner. Forget your wife, she doesn't matter when Temari's in town! End of story," Ino retorted back to her husband.

"Ino, she's not a whore! And I asked her to dinner because I never get to see her and she's a really good friend of mine. That's it, the end."

Ino quieted after a moment to let it all sink in. "Is this the first time something like this happened?" She was scared of the answer she might hear from him but she had to know.

"..."

That was all Ino needed to know today wasn't the first by any means. Ino nodded to herself and turned around, no longer wanting to look at Shikamaru. He sighed and put his hand on her shoulder but she quickly smacked it off, not wanting him to touch her with the same hand he probably touched Temari with.

That hurt Shikamaru. "Ino, there's nothing going on that you should be worried about." His voice was much softer now than before.

"Really? Then why am I worried?" She still didn't turn around, which annoyed Shikamaru.

"Because you never trust me anymore, Ino. How do you think that effects me, that my own _wife_ doesn't trust me?!" So much for his quieter tone; long lived.

Ino spun around faster than Shikamaru could have reacted.

"Oh really? Well, maybe if you didn't give me a reason to _not_ trust you then we wouldn't have this issue! And don't tell me I don't have anything to worry about, Shikamaru! I do to when you go around kissing other girls when you're with me."

Shikamaru threw his hands up in the air, clearly having enough of Ino's mouth. "That was over three years ago, Ino! Why can't you just forgive me for that. I apologized to you a million times and yet it seems like you don't even care."

The room was silent after that until Ino finally spoke up in a whisper. "I can't do this anymore, Shikamaru. I just can't."

"Ino, what are you saying...?"

Ino sighed heavily. "What I'm saying is that we can't do this anymore... We can't put Inori through this either. I-I think I want a-"

"Don't joke around like that Ino, it's not funny," Shikamaru interrupted her before she could even finish talking.

Ino smiled sadly at him. "I'm not joking. I want a divorce, Shikamaru."

"Ino..." No, this couldn't be happening. His heart felt like it was breaking into pieces now and all he wanted to do was hold Ino in his arms and tell her she was overreacting and that everything would be okay, but he also wanted to yell at her her decision. Either way, he wouldn't be able to have her anymore.

**XOXOX**

**So how do you like it? I felt like my writing was HORRIBLE, but I'll leave that for you guys to decide. So I'm sure you can tell that I wrote it differently then I said I would, but the next chapter will be a time skip of two years into the future for this couple... or ex-couple (for now). Well thank you for reading and reviewing as always. Until next time...**

**~ShikaIno1 **


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